Sporting Kansas City will look to write another glorious chapter in club history on Sept. 20 when the New York Red Bulls visit Children’s Mercy Park for the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, slated for 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.
In our 21-day Countdown to Cup, SportingKC.com is highlighting the most relevant storylines, historical narratives and statistical trends surrounding the Open Cup Final, U.S. Soccer’s National Championship.
This installment of the daily countdown sizes up the head official for next Wednesday's match.
Head referee Hilario Grajeda will officiate the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, the Professional Referee Organization (PRO) announced late last month.
An MLS referee since 2004, Grajeda notably officiated the 2013 MLS Cup at Children’s Mercy Park, which resulted in Sporting Kansas City defeating Real Salt Lake in a 10-round penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw through regulation.
Grajeda will be joined next Wednesday by assistant referees Jason White and Andrew Bigelow as well as fourth official Ismail Elfath. Grajeda has landed center assignments in more than 150 matches during his 13-year MLS stint, earning Referee of the Year honors in 2013.
Grajeda has been in charge of 14 MLS matches this season, calling 400 fouls (28.6 per game) while brandishing 53 yellow cards (3.79 per game) and just one red card — fewest among referees with at least 10 games under their belt in 2017.
Sporting Kansas City has played one match officiated by Grajeda this season, a 1-0 defeat at the Colorado Rapids on May 27. In that game, Grajeda whistled for 33 fouls and issued six yellow cards, including two to Sporting KC midfielder Roger Espinoza which resulted in a red card and ejection in the 93rd minute.
HILARIO GRAJEDA MLS OFFICIATING STATS
(REGULAR SEASON SINCE 2013)
<strong>Year</strong> |
<strong>Games</strong> |
<strong>Fouls<br>
awarded</strong> |
<strong>Fouls<br>
per game</strong> |
<strong>Yellow<br>
cards</strong> |
<strong>Yellows<br>
per game</strong> |
<strong>Red<br>
cards</strong> |
<strong>Reds<br>
per game</strong> |
<strong>2013</strong> |
23 |
533 |
23.17 |
68 |
2.96 |
4 |
0.17 |
<strong>2014</strong> |
20 |
495 |
24.75 |
77 |
3.85 |
2 |
0.10 |
<strong>2015</strong> |
2 |
51 |
25.50 |
6 |
3.00 |
0 |
0.00 |
<strong>2016</strong> |
17 |
382 |
22.47 |
49 |
2.88 |
4 |
0.24 |
<strong>2017</strong> |
14 |
400 |
28.57 |
53 |
3.79 |
1 |
.070 |
